WILMINGTON -- At least two Wilmington would become the Wilmington City Council lead agency. members said Friday that the "We're following through," investigation into the death Szczerba said. "We do not of former Pentagon official know where this case is going John P. Wheeler III -- though to lead. Right now, we are important -- should not take assisting. Newark has the priority over any other lead, but ... at any point, homicide investigation in the that could change." city. Police have not said how Newark police, the lead Wheeler could have ended up investigative agency, in Newark. continued to release details On Friday, Newark police Friday about Wheeler's reported new surveillance movements on the day before video captures of another 15 he died. A newly discovered minutes of Wheeler's final surveillance video shows the hours, showing him exiting 66-year-old New Castle doors on the 11th Street side resident in the area of of the Nemours building Dec. Wilmington's Rodney Square on 30. Wheeler then begins to Dec. 30, walking toward a walk southeast on 11th Street, high-crime section of the past and through the Hotel du city about two blocks away. Pont valet parking area. He And according to a city continues southeast and cabdriver, who was questioned crosses Market Street and is by Wilmington police, it last seen in camera view at appears investigators may 8:42 p.m. walking on the west have recovered Wheeler's cell sidewalk of 11th Street, phone because he was informed toward the East Side. his phone number was on it. Wheeler is wearing dark pants The cabbie denies he ever and a dark blue hooded gave Wheeler a ride. sweatshirt with the hood worn None of the new details over his head. appeared to represent a major His body was found about 13 break in the case. hours later. The cause of Wheeler's death Wilmington detectives has not been released. Jay questioned cabdrivers working Lynch, a spokesman for the near the Wilmington train state Department of Health station, including City Cab and Social Services, declined Taxi driver Athel Scott, who to say if the body had been said he was taken to released, but an employee of Wilmington police Krienen-Griffith Funeral Home headquarters Wednesday for in New Castle said it had the questioning. Scott said body. Newark police declined police told him his phone to comment on the results of number was found in Wheeler's the autopsy. cell phone. Wilmington City Councilman (3 of 3) Kevin Kelley on Friday "I don't know who the guy is, cautioned Wilmington police " Scott said, adding that he not to go overboard in passes out his business card, investigating Wheeler's death. which has his cell-phone "I don't want any more number on it, to many people. resources dedicated to this Attorney Art Schulcz, a than we do any other homicide, longtime friend of Wheeler " Kelley said, adding that and a classmate at West Point, about half of the city's said Wheeler's Blackberry is record 27 homicides from 2010 important because he always remain unsolved. had it with him and was Kelley said he wants police constantly e-mailing with it to find the person and wouldn't have given it up responsible for Wheeler's without a fight. death, but not at the expense Scott said he'd seen Wheeler of other investigation. around the train station, but Councilwoman Loretta Walsh, insisted he didn't know him who heads the city's Public and that he did not give him Safety Committee, agreed, a ride. saying Kelley's comments were "I never gave him no ride," "absolutely appropriate." he said. "I know that." She noted that the FBI is While investigators assisting Newark police. "The interviewed him, Scott said, city is secondary, so we other officers searched his should not make ourselves out home. They also questioned to be a bigger deal than we his wife. are," she said. "She's mad," he said. "Why Wilmington Police Chief are they wanting to make my Michael J. Szczerba confirmed life a living hell?" that two investigators have The cabbie said he was been assigned to the case, concerned by the police but said that is no more or questioning and search. less than have been assigned "It looks like they want to to other homicide pin me into something," Scott investigations. And he said said. "I'm not a troublemaker. the detectives still have I don't get into trouble." their usual caseloads and are Other cabdrivers said not working the case plainclothes detectives have exclusively. been knocking on their car (2 of 3) windows, flashing their "We understand what our badges and showing photos of responsibilities are and we Wheeler. are committed to carry out Saferide Taxi driver Moussa our duty to bring each and Sangare said a detective every case to justice as asked him Wednesday if he had quick as possible. And that's given anyone a ride from New what we are doing here," he Castle to Newark. said. "I've never been to New Szczerba did not know what Castle to pick up somebody percentage of their time was these days," Sangare said, dedicated to this case. adding that he'd never seen Szczerba also said the city Wheeler. has made arrests in about 60 City detectives also visited percent of last year's the Sunday Breakfast Mission, homicides. said Pastor Dave Jones, the Wheeler's body was found men's program director at the about 10 a.m. on New Year's Poplar Street homeless Eve in the Cherry Island shelter in Wilmington. Landfill when it tumbled out "They asked me if Mr. Wheeler of a trash truck that had had stayed here as an made rounds in the Newark overnight shelter guest," area. That has led police to Jones said, adding that two believe Wheeler's body was detectives were there Tuesday. dumped in one of 10 trash Jones said they checked the bins on that truck's route. log from Dec. 27 to Dec. 31, Wheeler was an adviser to but did not find that Wheeler several U.S. presidents, led stayed there. "The fundraising efforts in the information they needed from 1980s to construct the here, we could give them a Vietnam Veterans Memorial in pretty sure answer: He has Washington and most recently not been here." worked part time for The Bill Perkins, director of MITRE Corp., which provides Friendship House ministry, systems engineering and was not aware of police information technology visiting any of the 14 services to the government. homeless shelters the group If evidence emerges that the operates. slaying occurred in the city,
Tags: investigation, John, overboard, police, warned, Wheeler, Wilmington
